Begonia plant named ‘BBREDBADA’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘BBREDBADA’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; numerous double flowers that are red in color; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BBREDBADA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BBREDBADA’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new freely branching Begonia plants with attractive flower color.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in December, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Begonia×hiemalis identified as code number 201138-12, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed selection of Begonia socotrana, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in May, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, the Netherlands since the autumn of 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in cultural practices and environment conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BBREDBADA’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BBREDBADA’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Numerous double flowers that are red in color.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in branching habit as plants of the new Begonia are more freely branching than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower form habit as plants of the new Begonia have double flowers and plants of the male parent selection have single flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Barkos’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,523. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of ‘Barkos’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia were less serrated than         leaves of plants of ‘Barkos’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Barkos’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Barkos’ had lighter red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BBREDBADA’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were grown during the spring and summer in 13-cm containers in a shaded glass-covered greenhouse in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands under typical Begonia production practices. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 20° C. and light levels were about 18,000 lux. Plants were 15 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis ‘BBREDBADA’. -   Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Begonia×hiemalis identified as code number 201138-12, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Begonia             socotrana, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 15 days at temperatures of             about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 14 to 18 days at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous, white in             color; plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to             form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Compact, upright and mounded plant habit,             inverted triangle; freely branching with good stem and stem             base strength; flowers are double and abundant; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm to 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 25 cm to 30 cm.         -   Basal branch description.—Quantity: Freely basal branching             with about five to six basal branches developing per plant.             Length: About 9 cm to 13 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm to 3 cm.             Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Simple, alternate. Length:             About 8 cm to 9 cm. Width: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Shape:             Deltoid. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cordate to oblique. Margin:             Serrate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture,             lower surface: Pubescent. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color:             Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to 131A; venation, close to 141C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 131B; venation,             close to 141C. Petiole length: About 4 cm to 6 cm. Petiole             diameter: About 4 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 139C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Double flowers with numerous tepals             arranged in axillary cymes; typically four to five open             flowers per cyme; many cymes in flower simultaneously;             flowers positioned upright and outwardly above the foliar             plane.         -   Fragrance.—Not detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants will flower continuously             year round in the greenhouse, however plants flower earlier             and more abundantly during the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Good postproduction longevity,             flowers last about four to five weeks on the plant; flowers             persistent.         -   Cyme height.—About 6 cm to 8 cm.         -   Cyme diameter.—About 6 cm to 7 cm.         -   Flowers.—Shape: Oval; rose-like. Length: About 4 cm to 5 cm.             Diameter: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Depth: About 1 cm to 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Obovate. Length: About 2 cm. Diameter:             About 2 cm. Color: Close to 45B.         -   Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity: Usually about eight             to twelve per flower. Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Width:             About 3 cm to 4 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded, obtuse.             Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 45B. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 45B.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: Two, opposite. Shape:             Broadly ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             Close to 144D and at the margins, close to 45C. Color, lower             surface: Close to 145B and at the margins, close to 45C.         -   Peduncles.—Angle: Erect to about 30° to 45° from vertical.             Length: About 4 cm to 5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144B.         -   Pedicels.—Angle: About 30° to 45° from the peduncle. Length:             About 2 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Reddish green.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None             observed.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Begonia has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 10° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘BBREDBADA’ as illustrated and described. 